Control mechanism



July 3, 1923.

J. BUCKLEY CONTROL MECHANI SM Filed March 25, 1921 Patented July 3,1923.

UNITEDJSTATES JOHN BUCKLEY,:0FMATTA1?A1I, AS AC USETTS.

CONTROL MEoHANISm.

To allwhomitmay'conce'm: p Be it known'that I JOHN BUOKLEY, a citi zenof the United States, residing at Mattapim, in the county of Suffolk andStateof assa'chusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Control Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming'part of this specification.

This invention relates to a control mechanism, which while particularlyintended for the stabilizing of aeroplanes by warping of the wings andby control of the aerial'rud ders is also intended for general controloperation, as for example the governing of a steam valve or a damper forany purpose whatsover. .l

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of thistype which while relatively simple in construction will act positivelyand with s'utlicient power for the purpose required upon Slight ordelicate movement of the governingmechanism.

In the drawings,' v

Figure l'is a side view of my device partly in section. v

IFig. 2 is a central vertical section.

The standard 10 rises from the base 11 and rotatably supports theshafts. 12 and 14.

On one side of the Standard 10, the shaft 12 carries'a crank oreccentric 15 which operates to raise or lower the slotted retainer 16which slidably receives the lower T-shaped end 17 of a toothed yoke 19integral with or rigidly secured to the rod 20. At its other end theshaft 12 carries a pinion 22 driven by a rack 23 cut in the upper faceof an armature 24 sliding within the solenoids 26 and 27.

The arms 17 and 28 of the yoke 19 are 7 formed with rack teeth 29 spacedapart a sufficient distance to clear the teeth of the pinion 30 which iskeyed to the shaft 14. The yoke is pivotally mounted and may be raisedor lowered to bring the rack teeth on either 17 or 28 into contact withthe constantly rotating pinion 30. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the pinion30 is conveniently formed in spool shape with a guiding flange 31 ateither side to guide the yoke in its pivotal movement and insure themeshing of the pinion and rack. The rod 20 which is integral with theyoke 19 or permanently secured thereto is directly connected to the'Application filed march 25, 1921; Serial No. 455,425. 1

diaphragm 32 or any'other'form' of control mechanism depending upon theSpecific pplication of-the-device. V i l" Electric'power'is supplied'bythe battery 34 which is directly connected to the lever switch 35,pivoted as at 36 so as to engage either the contact 37 connected withthe coil of the solenoid 26 or with the contact 38 similarly connectedto the coil of the solenoid 27. The free, arm of the Switch or lever 35is connected by a link 40 to themechanism which governs the operation ofthe control mechanism, such mechanism being,

for example. a"the'rino'stat, pressure gage.

float, an inclinom'eter, a compass or some such mechanism. The otherside of the 'battery 34"is con nected to the spring contacts 42 and 43one on either side of the double solenoid and nor mally pressingagainstthej conductors '44 and 45.respectivelv, formingthe free end of thecoils of 27 and 26. The pins 46 p'ermanently Secured to the-yokef19areof insulating material'and move in a path so 'as, to

raise the freeends of the springs 42'and4 3 and thereby to break thecircuitincluding the solenoid: If desired a single pin may be springs.

rent passing from the battery 34 .to the conused which would thenbeplaced centrally of the yoke and would; operate either of the Theoperation of the device is as follows:

'WVhen the governing means moves1a ,suflicient distance to bring thevend of the switch '35 into engagement with oneof the contacts, say 37,the solenoid 26 is energized, the ourtact 37 through the solenoid toconductor 45 and through the Spring 43 and wire 47 back to the battery.The energizing of the solenoid 26 causes the armature 24 to be drawn tothe left in Fig. 1 rotating the pinion 22 in a clock-wise direction. Bymeans of the crank or eccentric 15 this motion of the pin-f I ion istranslated into a downward movement of the slot-ted member 16 thusdrawing the upper arm 28 of the yoke into contact with the pinion 30which constantly rotates at a slow speed in a clock-wise direction. The

movement of the armature 24 is such that when it is in mid-position theslotted member 16 is in neutral with neither of the racks engaging thepinion 30, but when the armature 24 is at either end of its travel thepinion 30 is in meshwith the rack. A spring 21 or other mechanism isprovided to maintain the yoke in neutral position when no current is-fiowi-ng, the strength of this spring being sufficient to return thearmature 24 to mid-position when no currentis flowing through the coils.

Movement of the pinion 30 under the circumstances just stated will movethe rod by any'reason the switch-85 is not restored to neutral positionin time to check the movement of the rod 20 the insulating pin 46 willraise the spring contact 42 from the conductingmember 44; connected tothe end of coil 27 at which time the spring will return the yoke tomid-position, thus freeing the rack from the teeth of the pinion 80.

What 1 claim is I l v1. In a device for connecting a governing mechanismwith a mechanism controlled thereby, a yoke including two substantiallyparallel arms provided with rack teeth, a pinion adapted to meshwitheither of said racks to drive said yoke, a 'mem'herhaving a; groove andslot connection with said yoke,

and electro-magnetic means responsive to movement of the governingmechanism for moving said member so as to bring either of said racksinto engagement with said pinion.

2In a device for connecting a govern-v ing mechanism with mechanismcontrolled thereby, a yoke formed of a pair'of oppositely disposed racksand operatively conne'cted with said controlled mechanism, apinion'adapted to mesh with either of said racks, means for moving saidyoke to midpositionso that neither of said racks will be in mesh withsaid opinion, and means responsive to movement of the governingmechanism for moving'said racks into and out of mesh with said pinionagainst the 'force of said means.

3. In a device for connecting a governing mechanism with mechanismcontrolled thereby, a rack operatively connected to said controlledmechanism, a pinion adapted to mesh withsaid rack, means for holding ingmechanism with mechanism controlled thereby, a rack operativelyconnected to said controlled mechanism, a pinion adapted to mesh withsaid rack, means for holding said rack out of mesh wit-h said pinion,electro-magnetic means greater in strength than the last-mentioned meansand adapted tomove said rack into mesh with said pin- J ion,hand meanscarried by said rack for renderlng the last-mentioned means inoperativeat a predetermined point in the travel ofsaid rack in either direction.

5. Ina device for connecting a governing mechanism with mechanismcontrolled thereby, a rack operatively connected with said controlledmechanism, a pinion adapted to mesh with'said rack, a solenoid, anarmature for said solenoid, means operatively connecting said armatureand said rack to move same into; and out of mesh with said pinion, aclrcult making and breaking devvice responsive to movementof the govern--1ng mechanism for energizing said solenoid, and'means carried bysaidrack-for breaking the circuit through said solenoid :atapredetermined point of travel of said rack;

JOHN Buckner,

